Madras HC Initiates Suo Moto Revision After Ex-Minister Valarmathi's Acquittal In DA Case

The Prosecution (DVAC) argued that between 2001 and 2006 while serving as a Minister in the Cabinet Valarmathi had disproportionate wealth totaling Rs. 1.70 crore in her name and her relative's name.

Last week, Madras HC suo moto revised disappropriate assets case against former Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam. 

The Madras High issued a notice to revise disproportionate wealth case against former AIADMK Minister B Valarmathi and her relatives on Friday. Valarmathi was discharged in the DA case by a trial court in 2021. Justice Anand Venkatesh initiated a suo motu criminal revision and ordered a notice to Valarmathi, her husband KV Balasubramanian and their sons B Muthamizhan and B Moovendran returnable on October 12. The judge invoked his powers under Section 397 of CrPC, reported PTI. This is the fifth suo moto revision by the judge. 

The prosecution's (DVAC) argument was that, between 2001 and 2006, while serving as a Minister in the State Cabinet, Valarmathi accumulated wealth totaling Rs. 1.70 crore in her name and the names of her relatives that were out of proportion to her known sources of income.

The judge described the events and criticised the prosecution's and the trial court's methods, saying that after reviewing the order of discharge, this Court was of the initial opinion that the Special Court had gone well beyond its authority in a discharge petition and had held a mini-trial to discharge the accused.

The judge said, "The orders of discharge, on the surface, reveal several obvious errors that were impossible for any skilled legal mind to ignore."

He said it was seen from the impugned orders of discharge that in paragraph 11, the Special Court notices that "there are various contradictions between the charge sheet and in the counter filed", as per the report.

Further, the judge said, "That the counter and the charge sheet were filed by the very same officer ought to have alerted the Special Court that there was something amiss. This volte-face was a deliberate ploy by the DVAC to short-circuit the prosecution since Valarmathi was now a Minister in the State Cabinet." 

Last week, Madras HC suo moto revised disappropriate assets case against former Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam.